Girdle



1935. c. w. MCKEE I 2,012,632

GIRDLE Filed April 17, 1933 2 ZSnnentor 6242a WMF/QT attorney Patented Aug. 27, 1935 PATENT i or lcE T GIRDLE ClarkeW. McKee, San Diego, Calif. Application April 17, 1933, Serial No. 666,496

. 8 Claims.

My invention relates to girdles, more particularly to girdles used asabdominal supports, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a girdle which isso constructed that the tensiqn is equalized throughout the width'of the girdle dependent upon the pressure;

Second; to p fQ ide'a girdle of this class in which afl'exible fabric is reinforced by a strip on the exterior thereof which automatically equalizes so that if one portionof the strip is tightened so:

that it binds more. than the other it is automatically equalized throughout the width of the 'girdle; Third, to provide a girdle of this class in ,which the tension on the girdle is practically equalized in proportion to the pressure'exerted against it on its full width and on its full length;

Fourth, to provide'a girdle'of this class which I assumes an equal pressurev on the body over its whole area dependent upon the pressure against the girdle at all points;

Fifth, to provide a. girdle of this classwhich is very comfortable to wear though effective and eflicient in operation; and

Sixthto provide a girdle of this class which'is very simple and economical of construction, du-. rable, efficient in its action and which will no readily deteriorate orget out of order.

appear hereinafter, my invention consists'of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in 'det'ail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to thel'accompanying drawing'and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the girdle complete in its preferred'form buckled'up ready for use; Fig. 2 isa-sideelevational view of .the same extended and practically straight and 'unbuckled; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the girdle in a slightly modified form; Fig. 4 is a vie'w'simil ar to Fig. 2 -showing'thegirdle in the.

' modified form shownin Fig. f3,and'Fig. ,5 is an enlargedsectional view through 5- of Fig. 4.

I Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsithroughout the preferred-form and throughout the modified form shown several views of the drawing. j I The girdle in the preferred form consists of a piece of flexible material, preferably fabric, I which is wider at the front portion la and lb and the back portion Id, and slightly narrower at the in the With these and other objects inview as will (or. 2-41) v o side portions [0. It is supported in its. position on the body by means of 'a single reenforcing and equalizing strip 2 preferably ofstrong fabric which serves as equalizer means. In the preferred form this strip consists of a single member whichextends, as shown best in Fig. 2, from theupper endportion 22) through one side of the keeper 3,

then through the one side of. the. three keepers .4, then through aslit' sa n the member. 5 through one side of the buckle 6 which is provided .With a loop member which sheaves the strip 2, then backwardly under the vmember 5 throughfl'the lower sides of the three keepers4, and the keeper '3, and ends at 2b at the lowersideL' s Secured intermediatej'the two ends 2b "is another strip l1 of similar material tothat of the strip 2 which is secured to the middle of'the member I. at the one end reinforced by =.the

keeper 3. At the opposite end are provided similar strips 8 on opposite sidesj of the strip 2 and secured to the member I and reinforced by the keeper 5.. To the strips 8 are secured buckles 9 so that there are provided on the one end three buckles 6, 9, and Q. At the other end the'ends of the strip 2 fit into thebuckles 1, ,2b' and 2b.

It will be noted that'the keepers 3,4, and 5 support the strip 2v relatively to the'inember I in certain relation regardless of the position of the member 2 longitudinally so that the support of .th'estrip Z'is distributed over the vmember I in thesame 'relationregardless to the position of her I sothat the pressureis equally distributed throughout the girdle at all times dependent upon the pressure against the same. I

.Inthe modified form shown in'Figs. 3,4,,an d 5 the fabric is composed of two portions .H and I2.

adapted to be connected atv the front and'back' and adapted to overlap. Thisoverlapping may vary considerably to provide for greater adjust ment of the length of the girdle; the opposite ends of both strips being wider so that the shapewhen ready for use or in use isrsubstantially the same as that shown in Fig. lgbeing wide atlt'a and" lZb and Ila and lib andn'ar'rowat llc and IZc. Inthis modified structure, two mainreinforcing and equalizing'strips, designated l3 and 2|, are used which serve as equalizer means.

Taking Fig. 4 the. strip 13 starts at 13b extends through one side of thememb'ers i4 and 15, then througha do-uble'loop member I6 'at 13c the keeper 20 intermediate its sides, through the buckle 23 which sheaves the strip, as shown at 2 lb, then back through the keeper 2i] intermediate its sides, then through the lower side of the keeper 22, and secured to the end H b of the member H at the low-erside;

The loop member [6 is secured to the member l2 near the end MD at the middle portion by means of a loop member II which is secured on the opposite side of the member l2 at the,

end l2b passing through a slit l I d.

Secured to the extended end of the member iz are strips lflreinforced by the keeper 2d and onthe ends of which are secured buckles IE3 at the upper and lower sides of the member i2.. At the extended end of the member I I is secured a strip 124 at the middle portionbetween the ends 31') of the strip 13 and reinforced by the keeper M. The strip Mis buckled in the buckle 23 and the ends I31) of the strip 13 arebuc'kled into the buckles I8, as shown best in Fig. 3of thedrawing. Thus this modification provides for similar flexibil y to that shown in Fig. 1 but uses two general reinforcing strips'insteadof just one; out having similar distribution and equalization of the opposing pressures andalso provi in for greater length adjustment because of the overl pp ends of th two, ma n bri ir le 'm m' bers instead of one, i l e 3 It will be noted that ineither of the structures shown in Figs- 1 and o thos h wn n Figs- 4 and 5, t'hat it one ot the strips is secured in the buckle tighter than the otherthere will be ready distribution and equalization of the pressure throughout the girdle because of the longitudinal movement of the strips throughthe keepers and buckles.

Though I have showniand described a partic ular construction, combination and arrangement or parts and portions, and a certain modification thereof, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arr n ement, nor to the modification, but desire to include in the sc pe of my invention th construc-. tion, c mbination and arrangementsubstantial ly as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I cla m asnew and desire to secur by L tters Patenti p c 1. In a girdl of he class describ d, main flexible girdle mean and a reinforcing and equal iz s strip ipport dat'its one. end near; one mar-' ginal side and near one end of said irdle means, said equalizing strip extending irom said one end toward.- the longitudinal middle of said girdle means and shift-ably c nnec ed at said middle then extending backwardly against itself and sup.- ported again nearthe other marginal side t said one end of the girdle means the ends of said strip extending past the end of said'girdle, and means near the opposite marginal sides .of the other end of said girdle means for secur the extended ends of said strip. a

2. In a girdle of the class described, a main flexible girdle means, a plurality of transversely extending keeperineinbeis' secured in spaced apart relation along said girdle means, a pair of marginally disposed buckles at one end of the g e m an a centrally disposed strap cured at the o posite end of the sirdlemeans, a reinforcing and equalizing strip arranged with its middle portion shiftably supported at the longitudinal axis of the girdle means and extending therefrom through said keepers to said opposite girdle means, a centrally disposed strap secured at the opposite end of the girdle means, a reinforcing equalizer strip arranged with its middle portion shitta'bly supported at said one end of the'girdle meansloetween the buckles, and extending therefrom through said keepers to said oppnsite end of the girdle means, the extremities of the equalizer strip being engageable with said buckles when the girdle is looped, and means carried by h middle portion of the reinforcing and equalizer strip .arrangedto coact with said strap} 4, A girdle structure comprising; a girdle, a reinforcing and equalizing strip including a middle portion disposed at one endpfthe girdle, a pair o v embra ing portions extending longitudinally with the girdle and extreme, portions at the're- 'maining end of the girdle, a plurality of keeper means guiding the major parts of the embracing Por ions along he margins of thegirdlc, a p i of securing elements at the margins'of the one endof the girdle, engageable with the extreme portions of the strip when the girdle is looped, a securin device between said securing elements and including a loop portion sheaving the middle portion of the strip, and means for attaching said securing device to said remainingend of the girdle. V I

5. A girdle comprising, a flexible band means adapted to encircle the waist of'the wearer and having overlappii'is extremities, a pair of marginally disposed securing elements at one extremity of the band means, a securing device disposed between said securing elements, and incorporating a loop portion, a reinforcing and equalizing strip sheaved by its middle portion through said .loop portion, said strip beingdoubled to form a pair, of encircling portions adapted to embrace the band means, and having end portions protruding beyond the remaining extremity of the band means to cooperate with said securing elements, and a strap secured to said remaining end of the'band means and engageable with said securing device to draw on saidstrip and equalize the tension between saidencircling portions 6; A gi'rdle structure comprising, a girdle having relatively wide portions at the front and back of the wearer and narrowed portions at the sides of the wearer, a reinforcing and equalizing strip including a middle portion doubled against itselftand disposed at one. end of the girdle, embracing portions continuing therefrom in the same direction around the girdle, and havi g extifeme portions at the remaining end of the girdle, a'plurality ofkeeperimeans guiding the encircling portions along the margins of, the girdle in conformity therewith, a pair of securing elements at the margins of the one end of the girdle, engageable with the extreme portions of the strip when the girdle is loopecLa' securingdevice between said securing elements andincluding a directions, a plurality of traversing keeper memloop portion sheaving the central portion of the strip, and means for attaching said securing device to said remaining end of the girdle.

'7. A girdle structure comprising, a pair of complementary girdle members adapted to overlap at the front and back of the wearer, and being relatively Wide at their overlapping portions and constricted at their intermediate portions, a strap at the one extremity of each girdle member, a sheaving loo-p carried by each strap, a. reinforcing and equalizer strip connected by both its extremities to the remaining end of each girbers on said girdle members, a loop member at the overlapping end of the first girdle member,

a first reinforcing and equalizing strip freely' slidable by its middle portion in saidloop member and arranged with its end portionsextending through the keeper members. .of the second girdle member to and beyond its extended end, a second reinforcing and equalizing strip secured by both its ends to the overlapping end of the 1 second girdle member and extending therefrom through the keeper'members of the first girdle 7 member to the extended end thereof, a buckle sheaved upon the middle portion of the second reinforcing and equalizer strip at the extended end of the first girdle member, a strap at the extended end of the second girdle member arranged to coact with said buckle, and other,

buckles at the extended end of the first girdle member engageable with the extremities of the 20.v

first reinforcing and equalizer strip. CLARKE W. MCKEE'J 

